Press release: Public meeting: Scrambling for Safety"TRIAL
BY ORDEAL" PLANNED FOR GOVERNMENT OVER HOME OFFICE SNOOPING
PLANSAnother of the infamous "Scrambling
for Safety" public meetings has been organised for May 14
to assess government plans to retain and snoop on the communications
and Internet activity of everyone in the UK.

The Home Office caused controversy last summer when it attempted
to allow a long list of public authorities to access records
of individuals' telephone and Internet usage. This "communications
data" -- phone numbers and e-mail addresses contacted, web
sites visited, locations of mobile phones, etc. - would have
been available without any judicial oversight, under the Regulation
of Investigatory Powers Act 2000.

There has also been ongoing argument about government powers
to force telephone companies and Internet Service Providers to
keep copies of such communications data. Under the Anti-Terrorism,
Crime and Security Act 2001 the Home Secretary may require companies
to store this data for long periods to allow later access by
intelligence and law enforcement agencies.

The Home Office is now consulting over both issues before
taking further action. "Scrambling for Safety 6" will
bring together representatives from government, industry and
human rights organisations to discuss the issues they raise with
members of the public. Since 1997 the Scrambling for Safety meetings
have played a pivotal role in the assessment of government security
and privacy policy.

This is the only such meeting during the consultation period,
and is free to attend. It is being organised by Privacy International
and the Foundation for Information Policy Research, and is being
hosted by the Department of Information Systems of the London
School of Economics.

Simon Davies, Director of Privacy International, commented:
"The government believes it has an automatic right to snoop
on a wide spectrum of very sensitive communications information.
The public will doubtless have a different view. The current
consultations raise important questions about the right to privacy
and the measures that must be taken to protect the individual.
The proposals will face a stormy reception at the meeting".

Simon Davies of Privacy International can be reached for comment
on 07958 466 552.